Monday, August 20, 2012

How Are You Feeling?

Since this is the most common question I receive as a pregnant woman, I decided to answer it here, all at once. Here's how I'm feeling.

Hungry. I am hungry ALL the time.

Excited. The idea of having another baby makes me very happy.

Nervous. Can I really handle two kids? I comfort myself with the thought of all the other people I know who have done it.

TiredFatigued. Tired is not a strong enough word for how I feel most of the time. I can sleep eight hours at night, take two naps during the day, and still have no trouble going to sleep the next night. I felt frustrated by this until I read that during week seven of pregnancy, my body was generating 100 brains cells for baby every minute. Well, no wonder I'm tired!

Nauseated, but just slightly. Luckily, for the most part my nausea has neither been as strong nor consistent as it was with Alexandra. Again, I have an extreme aversion to vegetables. My earlier cravings consisted of dairy and sugar, and now include red meat as well. But they're not just cravings... I can't eat anything else without feeling sick. Early on I thought I could fight the aversions and force some salads down my throat. When those made me feel worse, I gave up, and am enjoying all the grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas, beef, and chocolate cereal I want.

Spacey. I am spacey. Pregnancy makes it worse, so I am more forgetful, more easily distracted, less observant, and less organized than before. Thank goodness I have an understanding family.

Emotional. I can be elated, sink into depression, rise out of it in a fury, and cry through the whole thing, all within a space of fifteen minutes. Luckily, being easily distracted keeps me from wallowing in any negative emotion for too long.